Smart Ag Solutions News

Soil Acidity in Oregon

Declining soil pH is often overlooked because symptoms do not appear, and crop yield does not significantly decline, until a soil pH threshold is reached. Once soil pH drops below the crop threshold, a very small difference in soil pH can result in a substantial yield decrease (Figure 3). This situation differs greatly from a slight nutrient deficiency, which might cause only a 10 or 15 percent yield reduction. When soil pH is a few tenths of a unit lower than a crop’s threshold, yield can decrease 50 percent or more.

Smart Ag Solutions was founded by 4 Canterbury cropping farmers who saw the variability within their paddocks on a daily basis. Knowing that accurate soil data is vital to crop yields they decided to do something about it. They discovered the Veris MSP3 in the United States and brought one into the country. They now have the ability to offer precision soil mapping and testing at a level never before seen in New Zealand.